Camiguin Travel Guide

Mambajao is the island’s commercial center and the most common base for visitors; Benoni is the main ferry port on the eastern side. The ring road runs close to the coast and links most sights - waterfalls and hot springs are a short drive inland while beaches and sandbars lie off the coastal villages.

Costs: $25-60 per day - Simple rooms and scooter hire keep costs low; multicab rides and boat fees to the sandbars are cheap.

Safety: Generally safe - Low crime, and Camiguin is excluded from the government travel warnings for western Mindanao; Hibok-Hibok is an active volcano, so follow any PHIVOLCS alerts.

Best Time: March - May - The driest, sunniest months for the sandbar, snorkeling and waterfall trips.

Camiguin is a compact, pear-shaped island province in the Bohol Sea, a short ferry ride off northern Mindanao. The provincial capital is Mambajao; a roughly 64 km ring road circles the island and makes independent touring easy.

The island is volcanic, and much of what visitors come for was made by eruptions: the White Island sandbar facing Mount Hibok-Hibok, the Sunken Cemetery off Bonbon, left by the 1871 eruption of Mount Vulcan, waterfalls and hot springs. The October Lanzones Festival celebrates the island’s sweet lanzones fruit.

Visiting Camiguin feels small-scale and relaxed: villages and the town of Mambajao are the main service centers, while beaches, coves and forested interior trails provide the outdoor attractions that draw most travelers.

Travelers come for a compact mix of beaches, snorkeling and volcanic scenery reachable on short drives from the ferry or airport. Waterfalls such as Katibawasan and Tuasan, hot springs and the low, photogenic White Island sandbar are close together, so you can see highlights in a few days. The island’s laid-back pace, short ring road and friendly local eateries make it an easy place to explore by scooter or multicab.

Camiguin is warm all year and has no sharp dry season, but March to May is usually driest. Rain is heaviest late in the year, and Easter and the October Lanzones Festival are the busiest times.

Camiguin is reached either by a short domestic flight into the island or by roll-on/roll-off ferry from northern Mindanao. Most overland travelers go via Cagayan de Oro and Balingoan.

• By Sea: Balingoan to Benoni ferry: Ro-ro ferries run several times a day from Balingoan (Misamis Oriental) to Benoni on Camiguin; the crossing takes about 1 to 1.5 hours and a foot passenger pays a few hundred pesos.
• By Air: Camiguin Airport (CGM): Camiguin Airport (CGM) near Mambajao has flights from Cebu several times a week, taking about 1 hour.
• Overland via Cagayan de Oro: From Cagayan de Oro take a bus to Balingoan (about 2 hours), then the ferry.

Camiguin is small and most visitors get around by scooter, multicab or arranged day tours. The ring road makes navigation straightforward but some interior tracks to waterfalls are rough.

• Walking: Walking is fine within Mambajao and for short beachfront strolls but sights are spread out, so plan transport for multiple stops.
• Scooter rental: Renting a scooter is the most popular way to tour the island independently for a day; rentals are common around Mambajao and near ferry arrival points.
• Multicab and shared transport: Multicabs and jeepneys run between towns and to some attractions; fares are inexpensive and useful for short hops along the ring road.
• Organized tours and boat trips: Local operators offer half-day island tours, waterfall circuits and boat trips to White Island and Mantigue; these suit snorkelers and anyone who prefers a driver/guide.

Dining on Camiguin is informal: small local eateries (carinderias) and seafood restaurants serve fresh fish, grilled dishes and Filipino comfort food, while Mambajao has a handful of cafes and bakeries. Food is affordable and many places will cook what’s fresh that day.

Nightlife is low-key and centered on bars and beachfront lounges in Mambajao and near popular resorts; expect live acoustic sets or small crowds. The biggest night scene arrives during the October Lanzones Festival.

Shopping is limited to markets and small souvenir stalls in Mambajao where you can buy lanzones (in season), dried fish, handcrafts and simple beachwear; bring cash for stalls. There are no large malls on the island.